


Saloon Stories

by girljen



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Alcohol, F/F, F/M, Gen, Jas Backstory, Shane Backstory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-28
Updated: 2019-07-30
Packaged: 2020-05-28 12:00:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 16,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19393693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/girljen/pseuds/girljen
Summary: Spend a few nights inside the Stardrop Saloon. With a good listener behind the bar, an empath waitress, and beer on tap, it should be no surprise that this bar also serves some hot tea.





	1. Monday

“Goooood morning!” Emily strutted through the door of the Saloon. She made a beeline for the jukebox, put on some disco, and danced behind the bar.

“Hello there, Emily! You seem to be in high spirits!” Gus finished drying a glass and set it outside the sink.

Emily danced over to Gus, hip-checked him out of the way, and laughed. “Yep! It’s my Friday! I’m going to the desert to visit Sandy tomorrow!” She rolled up her sleeves and put on some rubber gloves. “If I remember right, we ran out of lemon wedges last night. Will you please cut those?”

“Sure! Why can’t you do it?” Gus reached under the bar for a cutting board and a knife.

“Oh, my friend bit me last night. Broke the skin this time, too!”

“What?!”

“I had the curtains open before I went to bed, and I got my friend down on my arm. An owl flew by overhead and scared them. They screamed, I screamed, they bit me, I screamed again, Haley came in and screamed at me...it was chaotic!”

“Oh, the parrot! Okay. That makes me feel a little better.” Gus pulled out a basket of lemons and got to work. “Thought you were talking about a human friend.”

Emily laughed. She opened her mouth to crack a dirty joke, but thought better of it. Instead, she kept washing dishes, and kept dancing.

“You’ll be gone tomorrow and Wednesday, right?”

“That’s right.” Emily paused. “Unless Sandy and I decide to run away to the Fern Islands together. Then you’re outta luck.” She giggled.

“Yeah, I guess I would be.” Gus tossed some lemon wedges into a steel container and started the next batch. “So let’s say, hypothetically, that you show up to Sandy’s tomorrow. She says, hey, I got nothin’ tying me to this desert anymore, let’s run away to the Fern Islands. Would you really do it?”

“Oh, yeah! Without a second thought! I’d go home, grab the bird, pack a suitcase, and that would be the last you’d see of me!”

“You’d really leave everyone you know and love to run off with Sandy?”

“Yeah,” Emily said plainly. “Absolutely.” She drained the water from the sink and took her gloves off. 

“Because of Sandy, or because of the adventure?”

“Yes.” Emily giggled. “I know you don’t know Sandy that well, I’ve only brought her in once, but she’s a wonderful human being. And I would love a good, wild, brand new adventure. My parents were artists, hippies, and world travelers. They only settled down here after Haley was old enough to go to school, because they didn’t think they could homeschool both of us at such different levels. I miss traveling. I miss living on the road.” She looked out the tiny window with a wistful and faraway look. “And I always miss Sandy.”

Gus and Emily fell into their daily rhythm of getting the Saloon ready for dinner. Emily washed dishes, stocked the bar, put on a pot of coffee, and danced her ass off. Gus went back in the kitchen to start the night’s food prep. 

Harvey was the first customer to arrive that afternoon. He marched right up to the counter like a man on a mission.

“Dr. Harvey! What can I get for you today?” Emily pulled out her pad of paper.

“Just a coffee, please. The machine in my apartment is broken.” He set a few bills down on the table.

“Oh no!” She turned around, grabbed a mug, and poured Harvey a fresh cup. “Poor thing! You take it black, right?”

“Yes, ma’am.” 

Emily set the coffee down in front of him. “Here you go! Is this the first coffee you’ve had all day?”

“No, it worked this morning…” Harvey wrinkled his nose. “I turned it on a couple hours ago for this afternoon’s cup of coffee, and nothing happened. I tried three different outlets. Then I plugged other appliances into them, and the outlets were good. So it’s the machine.”

“Ugh. If I had an extra one, I’d give it to you.”

“Thanks.” He gave her a half smile and took the first sip of his coffee, visibly relaxing as he swallowed. “I know better than to get another cheap, crappy one from Joja, so I guess I’m going to that home goods store in Grampleton when I’m done here.” He smirked again. “I drink so much coffee that a good coffee pot is an essential piece of medical equipment.”

“Good afternoon, Harvey!” Gus walked out from the kitchen, wiping his hands on his apron.

Harvey raised his coffee mug. “It’s getting there--” He stopped suddenly, interrupted by a ringing phone. After a quick sip, he put his mug down and answered his cell phone. “--Hello, Dr. Harvey speaking.” His shoulders slumped. “Yes, I can do that. What exactly is going on?”

As Harvey listened to the voice on the other end of the phone, his eyes widened. “Is he awake? … Is he breathing? I’m on my way.” He took one last drink of coffee, leaving half the cup, and power-walked out of the Saloon.

Gus and Emily shared a questioning look. Emily took Harvey’s coffee and poured it out, and Gus took the few bills on the bar. 

Gus was the first to speak. “Hey, if he comes back tonight, give him his money back. It’ll be under the register. Let him have another coffee if he needs it.”

Emily’s face lit up. “I was about to ask if I could do that!”

“Of course! I don’t know what he has going on, but it’s probably serious.”

“Right? And he’s not having a great day to start with, his coffee maker broke!”

“Oh no, that’s terrible for him!” Gus laughed. “I’ll bring him a cup first thing in the morning.”

Just then, Caroline walked through the door. 

“Let me guess!” Gus walked to the register. “Fish taco with extra sauce...to go.”

Caroline giggled. “You know what? Let’s make it a fish taco with extra sauce, for here, and a glass of white wine. I spent all day doing inventory for the store, I deserve a break.”

“Yes you do,” Emily said. “Taking breaks is so important for your wellbeing. Everyone needs them, and none of us seem to take enough of them.”

Caroline had pulled out her phone by that point, and was texting. She looked up to Emily with a smile. “Just telling Pierre and Abby I’m eating here tonight...and seeing if Jodi would like to join me! I think she needs a break, too.”

Gus raised an eyebrow at Emily, who nodded at him. Gus headed back to the kitchen.

Next to arrive was Elliott. There were dark circles under his eyes, his gaze was fixed on the ground, and his hair was limp. 

“Good evening, Elliott!” Emily waved.

“Good evening.” His voice was flat.

“How are you?”

“Uninspired. Dull. I have no words to write, nor motivation to find them.” He sat heavily down on a bar stool. “Emily, you’re a creative type. What do you do when you have no inspiration to sew, to design, to create?”

Emily poured a glass of red wine. Elliott nodded his head, so she scooted it over to him and poured a second one for herself. “The same thing I do when I have no inspiration to clean the house or come to work at the bar. I do it anyway.”

“But how?” Elliott whined. “Cleaning a house is easy. Working at the Saloon is easy. There are set steps. There are procedures. But how do you come up with an idea?”

“Some of it is having a backlog of ideas. As an example, Clint mentioned his back hurting, and I know that there are lumbar support pillows that can help that. So, I have that idea written down in a notebook, along with a nightgown for Sandy and a sleeveless wrap dress. Whenever I get an idea, whenever I think, hey, I should make that, I write it down. Then I make those things on the days I don’t know what to work on.” She took a sip of wine. “But there are times that I don’t have any ideas at all.”

“That’s what I’m struggling with.” Elliott sighed. “I’ve set a goal for myself. I’m to complete a novel. I’ve decided that I want it to be a science fiction story, I’ve written the first chapter...and now, the well has run dry.”

“Long-term projects are hard. The design and planning are so exciting, but then the actual work comes...the details, the revisions, the hard and exhausting work. I get it! That’s when discipline is important.”

“But all the discipline in the world cannot make the font of words flow freely! Even in sewing, there are steps and protocols!”

Emily pressed her lips together. “You know...you’re right. There isn’t that imposing feeling of a blank page staring back at you, with no structure or guidance. Would it help to write something about how the story should go, before writing how it does go?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, say Alice and Bob are going to the next galaxy over, and they’ve just left the bonds of Earth and now have a bunch of time to kill before they get there. And you have nothing to fill that time. Is there something they can do on the ship? Is there a problem they can have? Are there other characters that you can check in on? It might help to--even if you don’t know how the scene will go--say something like, Alice notices and temporarily fixes the navigation problem that’ll leave them stranded later on. Or, Bob talks about his mentor who will show up later in the book.”

“Yes, I suppose you’re right.” Elliott took a drink. “I know that a few things have to happen before the next part of the story starts, I could just write those down…”

“...and then you could write what you’re actually inspired to write! And you can go back and fill in the blanks later.”

“Yes!”

“It’s amazing what can happen when you free yourself from the constraints of linear thinking.” Emily gave Elliott a soft smile, then turned her attention to Caroline. “Everything alright, Ms. Caroline?”

“Yes, ma’am!” Caroline called from the other side of the bar. She’d just finished her first bite of fish taco, and was wiping sauce from her chin. “Delicious!”

Just then, Jodi walked in. She glanced around, then made a beeline for Caroline. Emily met them at the far end of the bar.

“Good evening, Jodi! What can I get for you?”

“Let’s see here…” Jodi looked up, as if searching her mind for the perfect dinner. “Parsnip soup, please...and a glass of white wine.”

“Good choices!” Emily scribbled in her notepad, then poured a glass of wine for Jodi. “Caroline, you need a refill?”

“Yes, please.”

Emily filled Caroline’s glass again, then headed to the back.

“Hey, Gus!” She tore a piece of paper out of her notepad. “Jodi’s here, she’d like a parsnip soup, please.”

“A what? Oh, dang, forgot I put that on the menu this week. I have enough parsnips, but I don’t wanna make it…” He chuckled. 

“You sound like Elliott.”

“What’s his problem?”

“Writer’s block.” Emily put on a pair of food prep gloves, went into the cooler, and grabbed a handful of parsnips for Gus. “We’ve been having a nice little chat about motivation vs. discipline. He feels that he can only write when he’s inspired to do so.”

Gus let out a hearty laugh. “Oh, Yoba! Maybe he can do that after he’s published twenty or so novels and he’s living off royalties!” He started peeling parsnips. “Let Jodi know it’ll be a minute, I’m making this fresh.”

“Sure thing.” Emily walked back out to the bar area.

Jodi and Caroline sat close. They leaned in toward each other, looking like they were sharing a juicy secret, but there was nothing salacious being said. They were just chatting about how doing inventory at Pierre’s is boring. 

“Ladies?” 

Jodi and Caroline snapped upright, as if a wedge had been driven between them.

“Yes, ma’am!” Jodi giggled.

Emily felt her cheeks getting hot, and saw Jodi flush red. Something was going on with those two, she could feel it. “Jodi, Gus is making your soup fresh right now, it might be a little while. That’ll be 640G.”

Jodi handed her a couple bills. “Here you go.”

Normally, Emily would ask if Jodi needed change back, or if the rest would be a tip. This time, though, she rung in the transaction and gave Jodi back all of her change. “Sorry, we’re low on small bills, so this is mostly coins. Maybe you can throw a couple in the jukebox!” She set the coins down.

“Maybe I can!” Jodi picked up a coin and turned it over in her hand. “I wonder if there’s anything I could dance to...Yoba, I haven’t danced in years.”

Caroline laughed. “Me neither! I think the last time I danced was when Pierre and I went to the Grampleton Carnival...wow...it had to have been more than 20 years ago, since Abigail hadn’t been born yet!”

“Oh, mine was when Kent and I were still living in Zuzu City. This was when he was still working as a garbage man, before I got pregnant with Vincent and before he got deployed the second time. Kent’s cousin got married, and we danced at the wedding.” She shrugged. “I wish I would have spent more time at dance clubs when I was younger, or even gone to my high school dances. I thought I’d have plenty of time when I grew up.” Her voice hit a bitter note. She shook her head.

“Yeah, I wish I could spend more time dancing now! I thought Pierre was gonna have an aneurysm last time I mentioned wanting to dance at the luau...he said he didn’t want to, I said I wouldn’t mind dancing anyway...and then he freaked out, because what if other men dance with me? Or watch me dance?”

Jodi laughed and shook her head. “Has he always been that jealous?”

Caroline sighed. “Since the beginning. Even before we were married, if I gave a gift to a friend who was a guy, he’d hound me about it for days.” She puffed out her chest and deepened her voice in an imitation of Pierre. “Do I need to worry about you two? I don’t trust him. Why did you give him a gift? Is he trying to seduce you? Are you cheating on me?” She laughed. “It was so bad, especially at first. I thought it would calm down after I married him; it didn’t. And the thing that gets me is, he doesn’t even do things that would keep a normal person around and satisfied! He spends all of his time working, then gets annoyed when I want his companionship and jealous if he thinks I’m seeking it out from another man!”

“Oh, Yoba! I guess I should be glad that Kent doesn’t do that…” She flipped the coin and caught it. “Hey. I have an idea. Would you like to dance?”

Caroline’s eyes widened, as did her smile. “Here? With you?”

“Yeah! I’m not any good, but I bet we could bumble our way through a waltz or a two-step.”

“Oh! I know how to waltz!” Caroline clapped her hands. She hesitated, then giggled. “Kind of.”

“Let’s do this!” Jodi left her seat. Caroline followed. They hurried to the jukebox, where they studied the song list intently.

Behind the bar, Emily was beaming.

After a couple minutes of deliberation, Caroline and Jodi decided on a song from when their generation was in high school. They walked out to the floor, put their left hands on each other’s waists, and giggled. They nervously took each other’s right hands, swayed to the beat for a few bars, and bumbled forward into each other.

“Wait, who’s leading?” Caroline laughed.

“You can! Let’s try again.”

After another few bars of swaying, Caroline stepped forward again. This time, Jodi stepped back, and they fell into the rhythm of an awkward, unsure, sweet waltz.

“Parsnip soup for Jodi?” Gus came out from the kitchen, carrying a bowl.

“Just set it down, she’s busy dancing!” Emily gestured toward the floor.

Gus’s eyes softened as he looked out at the dance floor. “Awww...that’s adorable!”

The night continued. Pam and Shane both came in, each asking for the usual, and each putting away a few beers. Elliott stayed for a second glass of wine, jotting notes in his notebook and talking plot points with Emily. Jodi and Caroline finished their dinners, chatted, and drank more wine.

Emily and Gus stood at the side of the bar near the door, cleaning up after Elliott and Pam. Emily caught Gus’s eye, then glanced over toward Caroline and Jodi. Her voice was nearly a whisper. “I wish they’d dance again.”

“How come?” Gus followed Emily’s lead and kept his voice down.

“It was so cute!” Emily beamed. “And besides, they both needed it so much, I could tell.”

“Well, why don’t you put a song on the jukebox?”

Emily scurried out from behind the bar and rushed to the jukebox. After only a few seconds of deliberation, she selected a cheesy, overly emotional love song from when she was a kid. She knew she’d chosen something good when she heard the women giggling.

They walked to the dance floor again, Caroline hanging from Jodi’s arm, and fell into the rhythm more easily this time. During the dance, they whispered and laughed as they swayed together, completely unaware of Gus and Emily cooing over them.


	2. Tuesday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a quiet day in the saloon since Emily's off. Marnie and Shane visit after an incident at their house leaves their microwave unusable, and Clint and Pam stop by in the evening.

It was quiet in the Saloon. Gus puttered around, cleaning and preparing food, all by himself since Emily had the day off. The jukebox was off. There was no disco, no rockabilly zydeco funk, no exotic chanting over a haunting sitar melody. The only sound came from the tinny speakers of Gus’s old TV in the kitchen. Since he was prepping the bar, he couldn’t watch his favorite talk show, but he could still listen.

“Next up on Tell Me Your Story, a pianist from Zuzu City has been making a name for herself. She has played in the country’s biggest concert halls, and has even had an audience with the President of the Ferngill Republic. What’s so special about her? She’s only ten years old!” The TV played a bright, intricate piano melody.

“Oh, that sounds good, I’ll have to start kitchen prep in a minute and watch that,” Gus murmured to nobody in particular.

Unfortunately, he wouldn’t get the chance.

The door to the Saloon opened and Marnie stormed in. She was dirty and she looked frazzled. 

“Good afternoon, Ms. Marnie! You’re here early, aren’t you?”

She glared at him. “I need lunch. I’ll be right back.” Without stopping, she went into the bathroom.

Gus rolled his eyes and sighed. He set a basket of tortilla chips and salsa out on the bar, along with a cup of water and a menu. “Yoba bless that woman and give me strength…” He figured that she’d probably order a Farmer’s Lunch, so he grabbed a couple parsnips from the walk-in cooler and headed back up to the bar as Marnie returned.

“Alright! Chips!” Marnie’s face lit up as she saw the food. Her hands and her face looked freshly washed, but the rest of her was still dusty and dirty. “Thanks!” She shoved a couple chips into her mouth, completely skipping the salsa, then chugged half of the water.

Gus smiled and nodded, then went back to chopping parsnips. “Ready to order, ma’am?”

“Yes, I’ll have the Farmer’s Lunch, please.” She scooted the menu aside and went back to her chips.

“I thought so! I’m chopping up the parsnips already.”

“Thanks. It’s been one hell of a day already. Jas let one of the goats inside--”

Gus chuckled.

“--Oh, you laugh, but it was awful! That damn thing destroyed the living room and the kitchen! He put a hole in the drywall! This is not a baby goat, this thing’s bigger than Jas and he’ll try to eat anything that’s not nailed down. He got the cable to the cash register, I’ll have to keep the ranch closed tomorrow. He knocked the microwave off the counter. I haven’t had any breakfast yet.”

“Oh, Yoba...this is starting to make sense now…”

“And of course,” she said, rolling her eyes, “Jas had a little conniption when I told her to help me clean up!” Marnie made her voice higher and squeakier in an imitation of Jas. “It wasn’t my fault! It was the goat!” She laughed. “Well, who let the goat in?”

“You know, even the smartest and sweetest and best-behaved kids are still kids, and they still do dumb stuff just because.”

Marnie nodded. Her mouth was full.

Gus continued. “I’m gonna run back to the kitchen and cook this up. You sit tight, ma’am.”

“Thank you.” She gave him a genuine smile, then turned her attention back to the tortilla chips.

A couple minutes later, Shane walked in.

“Hi, Shane, sorry if the noise woke you this morning…”

“It did not,” he said plainly. He took a seat next to Marnie. “I was already up with the chickens. Charlie’s got a clutch of eggs that should hatch today or tomorrow, I wanted to check on her.”

“Good for you!” Marnie slid the basket of chips over toward Shane. “You’re such a good chicken dad! Want some chips?”

“Yes please. Kinda hard to eat with no microwave.” He took a tortilla chip and dipped it into the salsa. “Other than that, and trashing the place, anything else broken?”

“Yeah. The cash register cable is broken, and there’s a hole in the drywall between the living room and the counter.”

“Dammit.” Shane rolled his eyes. “If you go to Robin’s and get the stuff to patch the drywall, I’ll fix that hole. Get some plywood if it’s a big hole. I can get us a new microwave from JojaMart when I’m done here. I don’t know about the register cable, though.”

“I have to special order one. Good thing the goat didn’t eat the DSL cable, huh?”

“Yeah.”

“Shane! Good afternoon, I’m guessing you need some lunch, too?”

“Yes please, I’ll have a pizza and a beer.”

Marnie shook her head. “Shane, it’s 3:00pm.”

“Should I order a mimosa, then?” He laughed. 

“You still have work to do!” Marnie tried to keep her tone light and joking, but Shane saw right through it.

“Yes, ma’am.” He turned to Gus. “Just the one beer, Gus, don’t let me order another one.”

“Alright, that’ll be 1100G, then, and you’ll get sparkling water from here on out.” 

Gus gave Shane his beer, then turned back to Marnie and set down a Farmer’s Lunch. “Lunch for you, ma’am, an extra big helping for an extra tough day. You know, I was watching a talk show while I was cooking. There was a little girl on that show who plays piano, she’s getting famous...she’s played for the President before! They introduced her and she came walking out onto the set with bare feet. She forgot her shoes. Even very smart, very talented kids are still kids, you know?” He headed back to the kitchen to get started on Shane’s pizza.

“My dad woulda beat my ass if I did that,” Shane said.

“I know. He was awful.” Marnie shook her head. 

“Most of the foster parents I had woulda done the same thing.”

“Now, that sucks. I understand why they didn’t send you to live with me after Martin got locked up, I was just a freshman in high school, but I would have done so much better. I was the one running the ranch while Mom was sick. She should have just agreed to take you, I’d have taken care of both of you…” Her voice trailed off sadly. “Did your mom have any relatives?”

“No. Not that she told Child Services about, anyway.” He shrugged. “I was only with her for a few weeks after Martin got thrown in jail. Then my mom overdosed, and then the foster care roulette began…” Shane took a drink of his beer. “Jas is so, so lucky that she didn’t have to deal with that nonsense. I mean, obviously, it would have been better if Aunt Martha would have just left that asshole Mike and run off with Jas. She seemed like a good mom. I stayed with them for a few weeks after I got kicked out of the halfway house, before I got that apartment in Grampleton, when Jas was first born. She was really nice, but that Mike guy…” Shane shook his head.

“Oh, Yoba, that reminds me, I need to check on the adoption paperwork!”

“How come?”

“The sheriff’s office called me and said Mike will be eligible for parole next month. I don’t know if he’ll get it, of course I’ll go to the hearing and testify against him...but I want to make sure that the adoption has gone through just in case he does get out. He wants Jas back. He won’t sign away his parental rights.”

“Why not?”

“Probably because Jas hasn’t let any goats loose in his house,” Marnie said sardonically. “Seriously, though, it’s a power thing. Jas is his kid and he doesn’t want his wife’s family taking care of her, at least that’s what he told my lawyer in his last letter.” She took a drink of Shane’s beer.

“Hey!”

“I don’t know why they’d let a murderer out on parole anyway. Or why they’d even entertain the idea of giving him a child. I mean, he killed that kid’s mother, in front of her!”

“Oh, Yoba, I didn’t know that!” Shane waved to Gus. He pointed at his beer, then at Marnie. “I thought Jas was with you the night Martha died.”

“Nope. I got a knock on the door from a deputy at about midnight, like, I’m sorry Ms. Marnie, your sister has been killed, her husband’s in custody, and either you’re taking this kid or she’s going into foster care.” She sighed. “I never wanted kids, Shane. I just wanted to run the ranch, find a husband, and live a quiet and simple life. I wanted to grow old with my sister and be the cool aunt to Martha’s kids, like my mom’s sister was to me. Instead, I got no sister, and a three-year-old who had seen things that no human should ever see, who was then my responsibility to raise. We were both mourning, but I had to be the adult and keep this kid alive and well.”

Gus set a beer down in front of Marnie. “For what it’s worth from me, you’re doing a great job raising Jas, honey.”

“Thank you, Gus.” She took another drink, this time of her own beer. “It’s funny, I didn’t want her at first...but now I’d punch a bear to protect Jas.”

“This one’s on the house.”

“Thank you.”

“Seriously, you two. Jas is such a polite, well-mannered, intelligent little girl!” Gus smiled warmly.

“Just like her mama.” Shane smiled at Gus. “Did you know that Martha was a doctor?”

“I did not!”

Marnie beamed. “She was a plastic surgeon. She could have made a ton of money doing cosmetic procedures, but instead, she worked at the trauma center doing reconstructive surgery.”

“No wonder she worked such odd hours,” Shane said. “Mike swore up and down that she was cheating, instead of, you know, putting people back together after horrible accidents...but common sense wasn’t exactly his strong suit.”

Shane and Marnie lingered over a long lunch, sharing stories about Martha and procrastinating going home to finish cleaning up the mess that the goat had left in the house.

They knew that it had gotten late when Pam showed up.

“Oi, Gus! Gimme a pint of your strongest!” She sat down at her usual seat at the bar.

“That would be the pale ale from the farm today.”

“Fantastic!” She rubbed her hands together with anticipation. “That farm’s puttin’ out some great stuff lately.”

Gus drew up a pint. As he did, he watched Shane and Marnie walk out the door. “Thank you! Good luck!”

“Good luck with what?” Pam asked

Gus set the pint down in front of Pam. “One of the goats got in their house. They’ve got one hell of a mess to clean up.”

Pam let out a hearty laugh. “Oh, I know I should feel bad...but that is just too damn funny!”

Gus chuckled. “Yeah...I mean, I feel sorry for Marnie and Shane having to clean that up, but the thought of a goat wreaking havoc on a house is just too good. I wish they’d gotten it on video!”

“They coulda sent the tape to Ferngill’s Funniest Animal Videos and won 10,000G!”

“I don’t have that much, but I woulda bought it to show at the Saloon!” Gus laughed. “Special screening: Marnie’s House vs. The Goat! 15G cover!”

“I know, right?” Pam took a sip of her beer. “OH YES. This is exactly what I needed! Had to go to the desert twice today.” She took another drink. “I appreciate my job, don’t get me wrong, but that drive between Pelican Town and the desert is just so damn boring!”

“Really? I’d think the scenery would be worth it!”

“Leaving the Valley is beautiful. And pullin’ into the desert is nice, too. But along the way, it’s just flat and boring and trashy. Besides, any drive gets boring when that’s all you ever do!” She sighed. “I miss drivin’ that truck. I used to go all around the valley, meetin’ people, listenin’ to the radio. And I was deliverin’ frozen foods, too, so I didn’t have to deal with this blasted heat! I’d just go from my air-conditioned truck to some restaurant’s walk-in freezer.”

“Oh, that would be nice, especially with the warm weather we’ve been having.” Gus glanced up to see Clint, and waved.

Clint, rather than going to his usual table, headed right for the bar. “I’ll have a whiskey, please.” He looked around the room. “No Emily tonight?”

“Nope, she’s off tonight and tomorrow, visiting her friend in the desert.”

“Make it a double.” Clint reached in his pocket for his wallet.

“Yes, sir. Where were you last night?”

“Grampleton Hospital.”

“Oh no! Are you okay?” Gus stopped pouring. “Should you be drinking?”

“Oh, I’m not sick.”

Gus smiled and continued pouring whiskey. “Good!"

"I was there with Willy,” Clint said. “I went down to his shop to get some trout soup for dinner, and he wasn’t behind the counter. I popped my head up in his loft and saw him lying in bed, covered in all his blankets. I asked if he was okay, he said no, so I called Harvey.”

“Good idea.” Gus set Clint’s drink down in front of him.

“Harvey checked him out and decided he should go to the hospital. So he called an ambulance. Willy was pretty much delirious, so I tagged along and filled out his papers and stuff.”

“Any idea what’s going on with him?” Gus asked.

“They’re thinking pneumonia, which wouldn’t surprise me with how he smokes.”

“Me neither. Poor guy.” 

Clint took a drink of his whiskey. “Elliott’s with him tonight, I’ll stop by tomorrow and bring him some movies or something.”

“Hey Clint, will you give him something from me?” Pam asked.

“Depends on what it is.”

Pam chuckled. “A big, wet kiss!”

Gus laughed, but Clint was frozen in place with his jaw hanging open.

“Nah, I’m just messin’ with ya! Unless you wanna give him a big ol’ kiss, that’s your decision. Actually, I have a prayer book at home that I'll give him. I’ll leave a get well note in there too.”

“That’s sweet, Pam.” Gus cleared her empty beer off the table. “Need a refill?”

“You know it!” She looked over to the table where Clint and Willy usually sat. “I think Willy and I coulda had a thing way back when, he was flirtin’ hard with me when I’d pick up fish from his shop. We danced together at the Flower Dance a couple times.”

Clint nodded. “He mentioned that.” 

“But then life got in the way...like it always does.” Pam let out a sad sigh and took a drink of her next beer. "It always does."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The fact that Jas and Shane are both Marnie's niblings but they have such a huge age difference and their stories are so different has always bugged me...so I headcanoned some siblings for Marnie and gave them stories that would allow for Jas and Shane's stories to be what they are.


	3. Wednesday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Demetrius is in the doghouse with Robin, Alex does a favor for his grandparents, and Pierre worries that Caroline is cheating on him. Haley gives Pierre a piece of her mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The farmer, mentioned in passing, is female in this iteration of the SDV universe. Not a major player; as always, I like the focus to be on the villagers.

Gus was in good spirits by the time happy hour rolled around. He’d gotten to watch his favorite talk show. The farmer had stopped by with a couple of huge albacore, which Gus used to make fish stew. He’d just packaged up two take-out orders. He loved take-out; he got to cook, he got money, and he didn’t have to wash dirty dinner dishes.

The first customer to pick up an order was Demetrius.

“Good evening, sir!” Gus handed him a bag. “I have an order of spaghetti, a bean hotpot, a plate of pepper poppers, and a bowl of pumpkin soup for you.”

“Correct.” Demetrius spoke sharply. “And I’ll have a beer, too, for here.”

“You got it.” Gus quickly drew up a pint and handed it to Demetrius. “How’s your day going so far?” 

“I got in a fight with Sebastian, which turned into a fight with Robin.”

“So, is this a peace offering?”

“It is for those two. And I got myself a treat because I’m paying for this. Also got Maru a treat, because she’s the only one not jumping down my throat today.” He took a big gulp of beer. “I saw that the garbage hadn’t been taken out, so I told Sebastian to do it. He told me to do it myself because he’s working. I went in his room to check out his screen to see if that was true. He told me to fu--um, he told me to vacate the premises in a rude way. Then Robin came down and started yelling at me for interrupting Sebastian’s work!” He threw his hands up.

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah! She said he doesn’t do housework when he’s coding, just like she doesn’t do housework when the shop’s open, and Maru and I don’t do housework when we’re in the lab.”

“And…?” Gus gave him a warm smile.

“And she’s totally right.” He rolled his eyes. “Since I wasn’t working, I should have taken that trash out. And I eventually did. I hope Sebastian got in trouble for disrespecting me, though.”

“You know, your wife’s in a tough spot.”

“That’s what you get out of all this? Not that some punk kid shouldn’t be swearing at me?!” Demetrius was indignant.

“Well, that too. But think about it. She loves you. She loves you enough to marry you, build lab space into your house and hurt the potential resale value, bear your child, she’s still affectionate with you, and she brags about you to me and anyone else who’ll listen. But she’s Sebastian’s mom! Sebastian is the kid who made her a mother, and that’s one hell of a strong bond. She’s known Sebastian for longer than she’s known you. She raised him. And now she’s stuck between the two of you, trying to keep both of you happy.”

Demetrius sighed and took another drink.

“Just think about it, man. She very easily could have left once Sebastian decided he didn’t like you.”

“Yeah, that’s true. Sometimes I worry that she’ll do it...that one day, Sebastian will convince her to leave me.”

“Well, when you get home, make it clear to her that you love her. Tell her you’re sorry. Remember that it’s the two of you against the problems, not one of you against the other. Make a move to fix the problems.”

“So, I should ground Sebastian.”

“No.” Gus rolled his eyes. “The big problem is that housework’s not gettin’ done, right? Trash is overflowing. And you don’t seem to know Sebastian’s work schedule.”

“He works when he wants, which usually happens to be when I need him to do something around the house,” Demetrius said bitterly.

“Well, why don’t you talk to Robin about having Sebastian write his work hours down on a calendar so he can be unavailable during those times, and available all the other times? And when she brings that up, have her remind him not to tell you to eff off?”

“That would work, if he stuck to his end of the deal.” Demetrius was nearly done with his beer. “Can I be honest with you? I just can’t wait until he moves out.”

“Understandable. Sometimes personalities clash, and putting those personalities in the same house together is a recipe for disaster. He’s not a bad guy, and neither are you, but I think you’ll both be happier once he leaves.”

Demetrius finished his beer, and set the glass and a few bills on Gus’s side of the bar. “Oh, I will. Thanks. Wish me luck.”

“Good luck, sir. Remember to err on the side of compassion and kindness, even when your stepson doesn’t.”

“Hmph.” Demetrius grabbed the bag of food and walked out.

As he walked out, he held the door for Alex, who gave Gus a friendly wave.

“Alex! Got your pick-up ready.”

“Thanks. Three spaghettis, right?”

“Yep.” Gus set the bag down on the bar. “You’re in charge of dinner tonight?”

“Well, Granny said she’d make it later, once her medicine kicked in. The arthritis in her hands is really bad today, though. So I figured I’d pick something up for all of us.”

“That’s sweet of you. I’m sure they’ll appreciate it.”

“Thanks!”

The door opened again. Pierre walked in, shoulders slumped.

“Hey, Mr. Pierre! How’s it going?” Alex gave him a warm smile.

He got nothing in return. Pierre sat on the opposite side of the bar. Alex walked out, confused.

“Well?” Gus walked over to Pierre. “How is it going, sir?”

“I think Caroline is cheating on me.” He looked at the taps behind the bar. “Gimme a Pale Ale.”

Gus drew up a Pale Ale and set it down in front of Pierre. “What makes you think that?”

“Something just feels off. We’ve been arguing more. She’s wearing more makeup. She’s been out of the house more often. She says she’s going over to Jodi’s when she leaves, but I don’t believe her. She texted me a couple nights ago and said she was having dinner here, with Jodi...but Jodi never misses dinner with her family!” He gave Gus a plaintive look. “Who is he?”

“Wait, you mean Monday night?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, she was here, eating dinner, with Jodi.”

“Wait, really?”

“Yep.”

“Are you covering for her?”

“No, sir.” Gus helped himself to a Pale Ale. “I’m in a position to see and hear more of what goes on in this town than just about anyone, except maybe Dr. Harvey. I know that’s a powerful position to be in. So I answer the questions that I’m asked truthfully, and never volunteer any information, especially not lies or rumors.”

Pierre took a drink of his beer. “Well...what do you think? Is she seeing some other guy behind my back?”

“I am not going to speculate,” Gus said plainly. “I will tell you what I see from her. In the mornings, she’s in the shop, working hard. In the afternoons, she’s out in the town square, planting flowers with Evelyn or chatting with Jodi and the farmer. Monday night, she was here, with Jodi. Said she needed a break because she’d been doing inventory all day.”

“Huh.” 

“Is that what you were hoping to hear?”

“What do you mean?”

Gus shrugged. “Well, you didn’t seem too relieved. What would you have done if I would have said, yeah, she’s runnin’ around on you with some other guy?”

A vengeful smile flashed across Pierre’s face. “I’d tell her I knew it! I finally have proof! And then I’d throw her out!”

“But...she’s not seeing another guy. At least not that I’ve seen.”

Pierre’s smile fell. 

“Listen, man. Are you happy with Caroline?”

Pierre hesitated.

“What would she need to do in order for you to be happy? Is there anything standing in the way of you asking her to do that? Do you want to be happy with her? You gotta ask yourself the hard questions, Pierre. You and your wife might need more help than a bartender can give you.”

Pierre shook his head, sighed, and finished the rest of his beer. “Women!”

“What about us?” 

Pierre turned around. There was Haley, one hand on her hip, glaring.

“You...wouldn’t understand.”

“Well, the way you just referred to all of us makes me think you don’t understand. What do you think we are, a hive mind?”

Gus’s eyes widened. He raised a hand to his mouth to cover the beginnings of a giggle, then turned around.

“Well--you know...ah…” Pierre glanced behind the bar, hoping for some backup from Gus, who was very busily cleaning the taps.

Haley sat down next to Pierre and glared intently.

“Try to see it from a man’s point of view,” Pierre said. “Imagine that you have a beautiful wife. Everybody wants her. Some of them are better-looking than you. Some are richer. Some are more powerful. How do you keep her?!”

“I dunno, be nice?” Haley shrugged.

“Nice guys finish last!”

“Yeah, if they’re in a fight, or, like, organized crime or something!” Haley laughed. “But when you have a romantic partner? Your job is literally to be nice to that person! Like, this is beginner-level stuff! You should know this, you’re married!”

Pierre shoved his empty glass toward Gus. “Gimme another one.”

Gus took the empty glass, traded it out with a full pint, and nodded. “She’s right, you know. You can have all the money and power and good looks in the world, it won’t matter. When someone enters a romantic relationship, it’s because they want love.” He paused. “Isn’t that what you want from your wife?”

“Well, yeah, but I’m a man…” Pierre whined.

“What does that have to do with anything?” Haley asked indignantly.

“Men have the money and the power. Women want to marry into that, and if they can find someone with money and power and good looks, even better!”

“Weird flex, but okay…” Haley rolled her eyes and laughed.

“What?! What even does that mean?” 

“Well, we live in the future now.” Haley flipped her hair. “Some men have money and power, but, like, look at Robin. She’s bringing in money for Demetrius to do his science. And look at the farmer. She’s making money hand over fist! And Granny Evelyn, she’s a little old lady and she’s a housewife, but, like, without her, George would be screwed.”

Pierre opened his mouth to speak, but Haley cut him off.

“But let’s go back to your old-fashioned way of thinking,” Haley said. “What do you want a wife to do? Cook for you, clean for you, raise the kids, take care of you when you get sick, keep you happy in the bedroom, support your career...that’s a lot of freaking work! And women know this! Even now, when women make money and have power, they still do most of the cooking and cleaning. So yeah. They have to love you to sign up for that.”

“But what if someone better comes along?” Pierre took a big drink of beer. His glass was almost empty already.

“Make sure you’re the best one for her. Make yourself someone who she wouldn’t want to leave.”

“How?” Again, Pierre whined.

“Be freaking nice.” Haley spoke plainly. “Do the dishes. Tell her she’s beautiful. Give her hugs and kisses. Dance with her. Buy her flowers. Tell her you’re happy to see her. Take her out to dinner every once in a while.”

“What? It’s so casual here, it barely even counts!”

“Look. When you take her out to dinner, she doesn’t have to cook and she doesn’t have to do dishes. That alone makes it special.”

Pierre finished his beer. “Help me out here, Gus.”

“I did.” He shrugged. “So did Haley. Ask yourself the hard questions. Get right in your head and get right with Yoba. And be nice to your wife.”

Pierre dropped a couple bills on the table and skulked out.

As soon as the door closed, Haley erupted with peals of laughter. “Oh, Yoba! What a loser!”

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Gus said. “He’s a scared little man and he’s got his issues, but he’s an alright guy.”

Haley raised an eyebrow and shook her head. “I’m glad I’m not married to him.”

“Well, yeah, me too,” Gus chuckled. “Now, would you like some dinner?”

“Yeah. Emily’s not here and I can’t be bothered to cook. I’ll have a salad and a Coco-No-No, please.”


	4. Thursday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maru helps Leah with an art project, Emily returns from the desert with Sandy, and a fight breaks out when Linus tries to get some food.

Gus had just opened the Saloon when Maru walked in. She carried her own insulated bag, and she had a wide smile on her face.

“Good afternoon, Maru! Getting some take-out?”

“Yes, please. I’ll have an order of Tom Kha Soup and a plate of Pepper Poppers.”

“Can do,” Gus said, “but the Tom Kha Soup’s gonna take a while. Gotta prep the shrimp.”

“Fair enough.”

“Want a drink while you wait?”

“Sure, I’ll have a coffee, please.”

Gus poured Maru a cup of coffee, then set out cream and sugar on the bar. “There ya go. Harvey ever get his coffee maker fixed?”

“He got a new one!” Maru practically squealed. “It’s one of those single-cup brewers, and it has a reusable filter. You know what that means?”

“Hmm? Can’t say I do.” Gus washed his hands.

“It means I get his old one! I’ve been needing a heating element, and his appears to still be in working order!”

“Very good! I hope it works for ya. I’ll be in back fixing up your food.” With that, he turned on a heel and headed for the kitchen.

It wasn’t long before Leah came in.

“Hey, Maru!” She took a seat at the bar next to Maru and pulled out a tiny notebook. “This is serendipitous!”

“Really?”

“Yes! I was hoping to run into you sooner or later.”

“How come?”

“I have some animatronics questions.”

Maru’s face lit up. “Oh, good! You know I’m down to talk electronics anytime!”

“Great. I’m working on an animatronic sculpture.”

“You mean like that Egg Heads thing you did? I loved that!”

“Yes! Except...totally different.” Leah giggled. “This time, I’d like to make an animatronic skeleton for a sculpture made of wood and natural materials. I’ll need it to be robust, too.”

“Why?”

Leah opened her notebook to a rough sketch. It was a tree, with branches wrapping around a human figure. There was an arrow pointing to the figure, labeled “Patron.”

“This piece is called Tree Hugger,” Leah explained. “When a person gets close to the tree, a heart laid into the tree trunk will glow. If the person presses the heart, a couple of the branches will wrap around the person and give them a hug. At that point, a speaker near the person’s ear will whisper words of encouragement, and tell the person to go out in nature.”

Maru’s jaw dropped. “That’s amazing! What exactly do you need help with, in terms of the inner workings?”

“Well, I need a way for the tree to tell when someone is nearby, and when someone touches the heart. I also need to figure out how to get the arms to apply the right amount of pressure for the hug.”

Maru’s face lit up. “Pressure sensors are such a fun challenge!”

Just then, Emily and Sandy walked in, holding hands. Emily’s first stop, as always, was the jukebox. Today’s selection was electronic dance music. She gave Sandy a quick kiss and moonwalked behind the bar.

“Hi ladies!” Emily giggled. “Are you being helped?”

“I am,” said Maru. She pointed to Leah. “She’s not yet.”

“Well then, Miss Leah, what can I get started for you?”

“How about a Stir Fry and a glass of wine, please?”

“Sounds delicious! I’ll put that order in.” Emily wrote on her notepad, then flounced back to the kitchen.

“Hey! Emily! I thought I heard you, how was your trip?” Gus was working away, cooking up a batch of Tom Kha Soup.

“Better than I’d anticipated!”

“But you didn’t run off to the Fern Islands.”

“No, but only because Sandy’s still paying for her mom’s care in Calico Town.” She handed Gus a ticket. “Miss Leah would like a Stir Fry, please.”

“Can you do the prep work for me?”

“Sure!” Emily danced to the walk-in cooler, pulled it open, and grabbed an armful of veggies. She used her butt to slam the cooler door, got a cutting board, and started cutting vegetables.

“How’s Sandy doing, by the way?”

“Why don’t you ask her? She’s here!”

“Like, here here? At the Saloon here?” 

“Yep!” Emily rinsed off a bunch of kale, then rolled it and cut it into strips. “We were just having so much fun that she decided to come back here with me for a day!”

“Won’t she get in trouble for not running her store?”

Emily shrugged. “She gets two customers a week if she’s lucky! And she owns the business herself! So she’s not gonna get an official reprimand...but she's still taking a risk.”

Gus gave her a questioning look. 

“The Oasis store shares their building with another business. The owner of that other business pays Sandy some good rent. They insist that the Oasis store stay open from 9:00am to midnight; Sandy works 15 hours a day, seven days a week.” Emily sighed. “Honestly, the only reason she’s still there is because she needs the money for her mother.”

“How could a renter tell the owner of a business and a building how to run their shop?” Gus shook his head.

“They give Sandy a lot of money.”

“Does she really need all that money?”

“Unfortunately, yeah. Sandy’s mom was in a bad accident when Sandy was a kid. She crashed her motorcycle. She’s disabled. For a few years, she lived at home with her husband and Sandy, but her health went downhill when her husband died. Sandy had to drop out of high school so she could pay for her mom to live in a care home.”

Again, Gus shook his head. “I had no idea.”

Emily continued. “Once her dad’s life insurance ran out, Sandy had to start paying for her own living expenses, as well as her mom’s. She went through a rough couple years...remember when she stayed with me for a while?”

“Oh yeah, I do remember that. That was years and years ago…”

“She moved back to the desert because the other business owners asked her to. They offered to add a bedroom for her, pay her higher wages, and pay an absolutely exorbitant amount of rent. It was what she had to do to keep her mom in the good care home, instead of having her moved to the welfare care home. Those places are awful.”

“Where does the other business come up with their money, anyway?”

“Sandy won’t tell me.” Emily tossed a couple handfuls of cave carrot chips into the bowl. “I’m guessing drugs, organized crime, gambling, or all three.”

“Yeah, any one of those would make sense. Kinda sounds like the Oasis store’s a front for something.”

Emily chopped a couple mushrooms and added them to the bowl. “It’s such a frustrating situation. Sandy’s stuck in the desert, at the Oasis, until her mother passes away. Of course neither of us want her mother to pass away, especially since she seems to be doing well even though she has no recollection of her life before the accident…” Emily sighed. “I just can’t wait for Sandy to be free. She’s a good daughter doing the right thing, and it’s frustrating and it sucks!”

“I hear ya!” Gus clapped Emily on the shoulder, then went to the sink to wash his hands. He spoke loudly over the running water. “Just stay positive. Give her all the good energy you can. And enjoy the time you two have together.” He shook his hands off and dried them on his apron. “Actually, speaking of which, I’ll throw some Survival Burgers on the grill for you and Sandy, and give you the day off.”

“Really?!” Emily choked up.

“I know what’s goin’ on with you two.” He chuckled. “I’m hardly a psychic empath or whatever, but I know love when I see it. And I know Sandy’s gonna have to go back to the desert after today or else she’s gonna have a bad time.”

“Thank you, Gus!” Emily threw her arms around him. “Your aura is a warm, pastel wash of pink, gold, and blue!”

Gus stepped back and looked at his arm quizzically. “Where? What’s that mean?”

“Your innermost energies are generous and calm. You are compassionate and caring, and you are connected to Yoba on a spiritual level!”

“Huh! You don’t say!” Once again, he looked at his arm and his hands. “How are you even seein’ this stuff?”

“I’m in tune with the vibrations of the universe and how they manifest themselves as light, sound, and color.” Emily packaged up a to-go bowl of Tom Kha Soup for Maru. “Want me to deliver this?”

“Yes please, and the Pepper Poppers, but then you should clock out because you have the day off!”

“Nice! Thanks again!” With that, Emily took the bowl of soup out to the bar.

“Tom Kha Soup and Pepper Poppers for Maru?”

Maru didn’t answer. She was busy sketching out a wiring diagram.

Emily sat the bag of food down, keeping it well away from Maru’s notebook.

“Oh! Thanks! Sorry, didn’t hear you. I was kinda lost in thought.”

“Not a problem.” Emily sashayed out from behind the bar and sat next to Sandy. “Hey, guess what?”

“What?” Sandy giggled.

“I’m off today!”

Sandy squealed and threw her arms around Emily. “Yay! I’m so happy!”

“Me too! And Gus has some Survival Burgers on the grill for us!”

“Oh, awesome! He’s such a good guy!” Sandy sat back, keeping one arm around Emily. “I was just talking to Leah about her newest art piece...she’s going to make a tree that hugs people!”

“Oh, that’s so cool!” Emily turned to Leah, who was blushing and beaming.

“Thanks. I want to get people connected to nature.”

“What a beautiful way to do it!”

Leah pointed to Maru. “I couldn’t do it without Maru. She’s helping me with the electronics.”

Sandy glanced over at Maru’s notebook and shook her head. “That all may as well be in another language…she’s making me feel stupid over here.”

“Maru is an absolute technological genius,” Emily said. She looks at circuits and computers and gadgets the way I look at fabrics and the way you look at flowers. She just...understands them on a deep level. But if I asked her to sew a dress, or you asked her to put together a hand-tied bouquet of sweet peas and spangles, she’d be lost.”

“Can confirm!” Maru laughed. “Why would peas be in a bouquet?”

It was Sandy’s turn to laugh. “Not the actual peas, honey! The flowers!”

“Aren’t they on vines, though? How would that even work?”

“Oh, honey.” Sandy gave Maru a warm smile. “Some sweet peas do grow on vines, and some grow on bushes that don’t have to be supported by a trellis. Both varieties have stems that are strong enough and straight enough to be used in bouquets, they kinda look like they’re folded lengthwise. And I know you didn’t ask, but they pair well with spangles because the spangles have woody stems and dark green foliage that really holds the bouquet together and makes the colors pop.”

“Interesting! Maybe I can find some sweet peas on the way to drop this lunch off.”

“Who’s it for?” Emily asked.

Maru blushed a deep red.

“Ah.” Emily winked at Maru. “Whoever it’s for, I’m sure they like sweet peas, and the Tom Kha Soup was a good choice.”

“.....thanks.” Maru grabbed the bag and her notebook. She stopped by Leah’s seat on the way out. “Once I’m done with lunch, I’ll sit down and figure out a cost estimate; I should have at least some of the parts I need, and I can order the rest at cost. I’ll just have you cover the cost of materials and shipping, and maybe a plate of cheese cauliflower or something.”

“Thanks! I could pay you for your time, you don’t have to do this for free…”

“Well, by sketching out this diagram and building a prototype for you, I’ll have a working model of a couple pressure sensor arrays that I might need for future work. Basically, I’d be screwing around with pressure sensors anyway, so why not put them in a piece of art?”

“Thank you so much, Maru! I’ll check my email later tonight.”

With that, Maru scurried out, and Leah turned to Emily and Sandy. “Sandy, I didn’t know you knew about flowers…”

“Sweetie, I love flowers. If I could do anything, I would run a little florist shop here in Pelican Town. I’d grow flowers in my own garden, put together seasonal bouquets, supply flowers for weddings, sell gardening supplies so people could grow their own...I just love flowers from the Valley!”

“What about the flowers everywhere else?” Emily asked. She leaned into Sandy, putting an arm around her. “Snowdrops from the tundra? Giant Spangles and Ringfruit Blossoms from the Fern Islands? Cosmos and Bellflowers from the meadows outside Castle Village?”

Sandy wrapped her arms around Emily and kissed her forehead. “We certainly have some traveling to do, don’t we?”

“Survival Burgers for the ladies?” Gus sat down two plates, each done up with a Survival Burger and a side of sweet potato fries.

“This looks wonderful. Thanks so much!” Sandy turned her attention to her burger.

“Thanks again, Gus. I’ll be in tomorrow at the usual time.”

“Good, it’s Friday, so we’re gonna be slammed.” With that, he reached behind him to grab a plate out of the kitchen window. “Stir Fry for Miss Leah?”

“Perfect! Thank you!”

The three ladies lingered at the bar through their late lunch. Each one finished a couple glasses of wine as they talked art and flowers, and caught Sandy up on the Pelican Town gossip. Eventually, Shane came in, followed by Pam, each getting their usual. Clint came by to tell Gus that Willy was being released from the hospital; Gus refrained from telling Clint about Emily canoodling with Sandy. 

At about 9:00pm, Linus timidly entered the bar. He held something tightly in his hand, which he kept down at his side.

“Hey!” Pam, a few drinks in, gave Linus a surly glare.

“Good evening, ma’am,” he muttered.

“What’s in your hand?!” She turned on her bar stool to face him.

“It’s for Gus, ma’am.”

“Speak up!”

By now, the few remaining saloon patrons had stopped talking and started watching.

Linus cleared his throat. “It’s for Gus, ma’am.”

“Show me!”

Linus stopped in his tracks. He looked behind the bar for Gus, but nobody was there.

Pam climbed down from the stool. She wobbled on her feet. “Is that a knife?”

“No, ma’am.” Linus took a step back.

“If you’re tryna rob my friend,” Pam said, unsteadily stomping toward Linus, “I swear to Yoba, I’ll…”

She lunged forward, swinging wildly. He caught one hand, placed his other hand on her waist, and used her momentum to flip her upside down. As he was throwing her, he lost his grip on his item--it was not a knife, but a large, shiny ruby.

Pam’s heels awkwardly hit the ground. Linus, still holding her, squatted and gently lowered her backside to the ground. He twisted her arm behind her back, and grabbed the other arm. He spoke plainly and quietly. “It was a ruby, ma’am. I’m hoping to trade it for a salad. There is no need to fight.”

Seeing Pam go down, Shane ran over with his fist raised. “You leave her alone!”

Gus ran out from the kitchen, just in time to see Linus catch Shane’s fist and gently lower him to the ground, just like he did with Pam.

“Gus! I am so sorry, sir.” Linus bowed his head. He was blinking back tears. He knelt down and picked up the ruby. “I was hoping to exchange a ruby for a salad...I haven’t eaten all day. I haven’t caught any fish. There’s no fruit anywhere. Swear to Yoba, the spirits must be angry today.” He glanced down at Shane and Pam, both stewing angrily on the floor. “And too much spirits have made those two angry, too. Pam said I was gonna rob the place. She came at me swinging, so I tripped her up and put her on the floor. Shane tried the same thing.”

He stepped to the side and offered a hand to Shane. Shane shook his head and pulled himself up off the floor.

“Please, sir. I don’t want any trouble. I just want food.” He held out the ruby to Gus.

Gus took the ruby. “Wow. That’s beautiful! I’m sorry, Mr. Linus, I wish I would have been out here when you came in. Come on up to the bar, let’s get you a salad.”

“Hey!” Pam called from the floor. “Aren’t you gonna kick him out?!”

Gus helped Pam to her feet. “No ma’am. I do not want to see anyone in Pelican Town go hungry.”

“But he tried to rob you! And then he fought me!” Her speech was slurred.

“He had a precious gem in his hand that he didn’t want to let go of, and then he defended himself.” He clapped Pam on the shoulder. “Thanks for lookin’ out for me, but I got this.”

“Do you need me to wait outside?” Linus asked.

“No, sir!” Gus’s voice was firm. “You will wait right outside the kitchen window, where I can see you.”

“Yeah!” Shane crowed. “Make sure he doesn’t try anything shady!”

Gus smiled and nodded. “We’ll go with that. Mr. Linus, I’ll be right out with your salad.”

After what seemed like an eternity of Shane and Pam glaring holes through him, Linus got his salad. He thanked Gus, apologized again for the trouble, and headed for the door. Shane and Pam followed him, sharing knowing glances and head nods.

“Shane, Pam, and Linus!” Gus roared. “All of you, get back here! I’m a bartender, not a damned sheriff! For Yoba’s sake!”

Shane and Pam walked back to the bar, heads bowed. Linus just looked confused. 

“Linus? Get back here.”

Linus walked back to the bar. “Yes, Mr. Gus?”

“You were being followed. Got someone who can walk you home?”

“I can call Rasmodius.”

“Do that. I don’t want any trouble--”

The wizard appeared directly behind Linus in a blinding flash of white-purple light. He placed his hand on his friend’s shoulder. He gave Gus a solemn nod, then disappeared in an identical flash of light, with Linus and the salad in tow.

“Huh!” Gus stepped back and shook his head. “That was quick.” He looked to Pam and Shane, and spoke a little more loudly. “That just leaves me with you two.”

“Where’s my free beer for savin’ your life?” Pam slurred.

Gus walked out from behind the bar, sat on the stool next to Pam, and looked in her eyes. “You did not.” He spoke plainly. “Linus brought a ruby to the saloon so he could get a salad. He has no money. He had no food. I’ve fed you and Penny when you were hungry. I’ve fed Shane when he was hungry. I will not turn a hungry person away, and neither will you. Do you understand?”

“But--”

“Do you understand!” He put his hands on Pam’s shoulders. “Probably not, given the time of night. So I will remind you tomorrow. I do not turn away hungry people, and you do not turn away anyone at all. If I get robbed, I take it up with the sheriff. That is how we do this.”

“Yes, sir.” Pam sighed. “Sorry. Just tryin’ to help.”

“I know. I appreciate it. And I know you’ll do better next time.”


	5. Friday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Despite the torrential rain outside, it's a busy night in the Saloon. Abigail is angry at Pierre and needs comfort; Sam just got paid and is feeling generous; Gus and Lewis talk politics and Lewis gets scared; and Kent starts teaching his son how to actually play pool.

“Business has been good tonight, despite the rain. I’m pleased.” Gus wiped his hands on his apron, then pulled out a pad of paper and a pen. “What can I get for you tonight, Mr. Sam?”

“I just got paid, my dude! I’ll have a pizza, some pumpkin soup, two meads, four beers, like, three salads, a spaghetti…”

“Okay, hang on!” Gus scribbled down some notes. “Pizza, pumpkin soup, three salads, spaghetti, four beers, two meads. Yoba almighty, buying a round for the entire bar?”

“Yep, pretty much!” Sam laughed. “It’s Friday!”

“Indeed it is.” Gus punched the order into the register. “Happiest day of the week!”

Behind Sam, Abigail stormed by. She was swearing under her breath. For once, she wasn’t wearing any makeup. Her eyes were red and puffy.

“Hey, Abigail!” Gus called out.

Sam turned around. His face immediately fell when he saw Abigail. “Hey, Abby.” His voice was soft and high-pitched. “Are you alright? I got something for you…” He pulled an amethyst out of his pocket. Without a word, Abigail took the amethyst and shoved it in her mouth. She headed back to the arcade.

Sam turned back to Gus. He shrugged and shook his head. “Poor girl. Sebby’s here, though, maybe he can cheer her up.”

“Did she just...eat a rock?”

“Well, it was an amethyst. She likes ‘em! So maybe that’ll help, too.”

“If you say so.” Gus shrugged. “It’s gonna be a minute on the food, but I can get the beers and the meads up now.”

“Awesome, thanks.”

Gus reached down and opened two small bottles of mead and set them on the bar. “Two meads, fresh from the farm, made with Fairy Rose honey.” He slid them toward Sam and pulled four pints of beer. “And here are your beers, sir.”

“Thanks, man!” Sam grabbed the meads. “I’ll deliver these first.”

With a mead in each hand, Sam strutted back to the arcade. He slowed his roll when he saw Abigail and Sebastian, cuddled up on the couch. Abigail was crying on Sebastian’s shoulder.

“Hey, guys?” Sam set the meads down on the table by the couch. He spoke softly. “Got you each a mead.”

“Thanks, man.” Sebastian awkwardly reached up and bumped Sam’s fist while trying not to disturb Abigail. “Listen, Abigail’s really upset, I’m gonna be here with her instead of playing pool--”

“--sorry I’m ruining your night,” Abigail interrupted, “it’s just that Pierre’s such an asshole!”

“Ohhh, dang, first name basis!” Sam stepped back in fear and awe. “There will be plenty of other Friday nights for me to play pool. Need anything from me? Pain pills? Rocks? … Uh, I could try to nose grind on the pool table…”

Abigail forced a chuckle. “No, it’s fine. I just need some time. Thanks for trying to help.” She sniffled.

“No problem!” Sam reached down and patted Abigail on the head. “Except, obviously, there still is one. And, uh...I hope it stops being a problem soon.”

She sighed. “It’ll stop being a problem if I can ever move out. I ruined dinner, so he yelled at me and told me I’d never find a husband. He said I can’t cook and I don’t clean…” Her lower lip started to tremble. “...and then he said that since I’m fat and I have ugly purple hair, I’d be worthless as a wife!” Big tears fell down her cheeks.

Sebastian pulled her close. “You know he’s full of crap, right?”

Sam knelt down by the couch. “Did you say you ruined dinner? Like, you didn’t eat?”

Abigail nodded.

“Oh!” Sam jumped up. “Alright, my pizza should be ready soon, I’ll let you have it!”

Again, Abigail just nodded. Sam walked off toward the bar.

“Pierre is so full of it,” Sebastian said. “I know that finding a husband isn’t the most important thing in your life, but if you want one, I bet you’ll get one. There’s more to life than the whole housewife thing, anyway, and you know that. You’re getting good grades, you’re musically talented, you’re strong...and honestly? You’re beautiful.”

“Thanks for trying to be nice…” Her shoulders slumped. “But you don’t have to tell me I look good, I know I look like crap right now and that’s okay.”

“Well, you look like you’ve been crying, and you look like you’re not wearing makeup. So you don’t look as good as you normally do. But that doesn’t change the fact that you literally are a beautiful woman. You don’t have to believe me right now, and I can stop talking about it if you want, but it’s the truth.”

“Thanks. I know this is silly and it shouldn’t be a big deal, I don’t want to be a housewife anyway, but…” She sighed. “Imagine being told you’re only good for one thing, and you suck at that thing. Even if it’s not a thing you want to do, it takes its toll.”

“I hear ya.” He leaned back into the couch, pulling Abigail back with him. She relaxed into his arms.

In the main room of the Saloon, Sam was running around to each table, dropping off beers and salads and spaghetti, collecting high fives and fist bumps and thanks.

“Pizza and pumpkin soup for Mr. Sam!” Emily called out from behind the bar.

“Nice!” Sam made a beeline for the bar. He pulled a couple bills out of his pocket and gave them to Emily. “Tip for Ms. Emily!”

“Thank you!”

“Likewise!” Sam grabbed the pizza and the pumpkin soup and made his way back to the arcade. Abigail looked calmer; she was leaning against Sebastian and sipping mead. Sebastian couldn’t hide the smile on his face. He was drinking mead, too, and Abigail was nestled under his arm.

Sam quietly set the pumpkin soup down next to Sebastian.

“I really love this. How did you know?” Sebastian asked quietly.

“Don’t sell yourself short, bro, I pay attention to what you like.” He walked over to the small table on the opposite side of the couch and set the pizza down.

“Oh, thank Yoba, it’s food!” Abigail sat up, immediately grabbed a piece of pizza, and shoved half of it in her mouth. As she sat up and attacked the pizza, Sebastian’s face fell. He was enjoying the cuddles.

Abigail swallowed quickly. She leaned back into Sebastian, still holding the other half of her first slice. “Don’t let me eat all of this.” Her voice turned bitter. “I don’t want to get any fatter.”

“Hey, eat as much as you need!” Sebastian shook his head. “I want you to be happy and comfortable, that’s more important than being thin.”

Abigail took another big bite of pizza.

Sam gave Sebastian and Abigail a parting shot of finger guns, then made his way back to the front room and sat down with his dad.

Up at the bar, Gus gave Mayor Lewis his second beer.

“Thank you, sir! You know, it was about this time of year when I first became mayor twenty years ago...that makes me feel old.”

“Me too,” Gus said. “That was the first election I ever voted in. Mayor Davis had just retired, and it was between you and Duncan, the farmer’s grandfather.”

“Duncan! He was an alright guy.” Lewis took a drink of beer.

Gus gave Lewis a pointed look. “Wouldn’t have known it by the political ads.”

“Guh...ah. Yeah.” Lewis sputtered. He took a big drink of beer. “Politics can be cutthroat…”

“What percentage of the townspeople voted for you, anyway?”

“Enough to win the election,” Lewis said plainly. 

“Even with all the recount drama?”

“Especially with all the recount drama.” Lewis drained his beer. “One more, sir!”

Gus used the time he took filling Lewis’s beer to roll his eyes and scowl. He hoped that his vote, which had been for Duncan, had stayed a vote for Duncan through the recount.

As he set Lewis’s beer in front of him, Gus said, “You know, I have half a mind to run for Mayor!”

“Ohhh.” Lewis took his beer. “No you don’t. You don’t want this job. Too much work.”

“I work long, late hours now,” Gus said. “Besides, if I restructure the budget, I could probably hire someone to do the late night product pickups for me.”

Lewis raised his eyebrows.

“Now, I don’t know the exact tax numbers, except for my own business, of course, but I bet there’s some wiggle room. I could hire someone to do the pickups. Or, to gain the town’s trust, I could hire a treasurer to balance and publish the budget. If we have an excess, I could set up an indigent care fund for people who fall on hard times.”

Lewis looked nervous.

Gus, thoroughly enjoying himself, continued. “And if I could find more available money, I could build a skate park! I bet I could do it. There’s gotta be something I could cut from the budget; maybe make the Manor a privately-held entity rather than using city coffers, or cancel the installation of a statue or something…” He winked at Lewis.

“But...you’d have to sell the Saloon!” 

“Oh, I’m not worried about that. Pierre’s constantly on the lookout for the next big moneymaker, I’d have enough to buy a little house, or keep renting out my room here…”

The Mayor, once again, looked nervous and perplexed. 

Gus smiled brightly. “Vote Gus for Mayor! Vote Gus for integrity and community!”

Lewis chugged his beer. He left a stack of bills on the table and left without another word.

As soon as the saloon door closed, Emily and Gus erupted in peals of laughter. 

“He’s panicking!” Gus laughed. “Trying to talk me out of it!”

“Would you really run for mayor?” Emily asked.

“If you woulda asked me even an hour ago, I woulda said no. But with how scared Lewis got, I’m thinking maybe I should!”

“No kidding!”

As Emily and Gus talked politics, Sam and Kent got up and made their way to the arcade.

“So you wanna get better at pool.” Kent’s voice was flat. 

“Yeah. Sebastian destroys me every time we play.”

“We’ll start with the basics.” Kent pulled one ball, the yellow 9 ball, out of a pocket. He set that ball and the cue ball down on the table and handed his son a cue. “Show me your stance.”

Sam grabbed the cue and leaned forward awkwardly, bending at the waist with his feet side by side.

Kent nonchalantly shoved Sam’s shoulder, knocking him back from the table. He flailed, but didn’t fall.

“Hey!” Sam laughed. “Rude!”

“Use your legs for balance so you can use your arms for accuracy.” Kent took a cue of his own and lined a shot up. “See this? I’m not holding any weight on my arms.” He set the cue down and put his hands behind his back. “Haul off and shove me in the shoulder, like I did to you.”

Sam shoved his dad. Kent didn’t move.

“See that? My stance is stable. I can use my feet to balance so my arms are only holding the cue, not my weight. In addition to that,” he said, grabbing the cue, “my bottom hand, which is guiding the cue, will never move.” 

The night went on.

Kent walked Sam through the basics of shooting pool while Abigail and Sebastian cuddled on the couch with dinner and mead. Gus put together the outline of a political platform for a mayoral run, though he was still unsure whether he’d actually pull the trigger or not. Robin and Demetrius, having made up after their argument, tore up the dance floor. Leah and Elliott joined them for a couple songs, in between chatting and writing in their notebooks about their creative pursuits.

Outside, the rain fell and the thunder rolled. Owls called out to owls, frogs called out to frogs. Inside the Saloon and out in the valley, life was loud and turbulent and vibrant. Things were changing.


	6. Saturday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Willy's back, but not doing well. He gets an offer for some help running the fish shop. Gunther stops in for the first time, and Jodi and Caroline meet up for drinks and dancing again.

The sun was just starting to set when Clint opened the door to the Saloon. He held the door open, then reached outside and pulled in an oxygen tank on wheels. Willy shuffled in behind the tank, grabbed the handle, and dragged it behind him.

“Mr. Willy!” Gus waved from behind the bar.

“Really?” Emily ran out from the kitchen. “Hey! Willy!”

Clint and Willy sat down at their usual table. Emily, still running, delivered two glasses of water. “Willy, it’s so good to see you! And Clint, it’s so good to see you being such a good friend.”

Clint looked down and away. “What’s that supposed to mean?” 

Emily laughed. “You went all the way to Grampleton to help Willy in the hospital, drove him here, and helped with his oxygen! You didn’t need to do any of that, but you did, and that makes you a good friend. That’s what I like about you!”

Clint blushed a deep red. “Thanks.”

Willy nodded. “Good man.”

“Now, can I get some drinks and some dinner for you two?”

Willy nodded again. “Crab cake, please.”

Emily wrote in her notebook. “Alright, one order of crab cakes. How about you, Clint?”

Willy interrupted. “No, no! Just one, please. I’m not that hungry, but Clint’s been buggin’ me to eat.”

Clint chuckled. “Gotta get your strength back, man! You haven’t eaten since 10:00 this morning, have you? And even then, it was tiny.”

Willy sighed. “I’m not hungry! I’m sick and tired! And bored. I’m here because I’m bored, so thank you for helpin’ me out with that one.” He looked up at Emily. “Just one crab cake, please.”

“Yes, sir. Clint, what would you like?”

“I’ll have a beer, a full order of crab cakes, and a large order of fries, please.”

“Hungry tonight?”

“I’m hoping Willy will steal some of my fries.”

Just then, Kent walked in. He glanced over at Clint and Willy, did a double take, and headed for their table.

“Willy! Good to see you!”

“Isn’t it?” Emily said.

“Thanks, mate.” Willy reached up for a handshake. 

Kent gladly obliged. “How are you feeling?”

“Still sick. There’s nothin’ more they can do for me at the hospital, and I’m well enough to go home...but not well enough to do much else. In fact, once I’m done with this crab cake, I’m gonna have Clint take me home.”

“How long before you start fishing again?”

Willy’s shoulders slumped. He shook his head. “I can’t even sit up for more than a couple hours right now. Clint moved my bed down to the shop, behind the counter, because I can’t climb the ladder to my room. It’s gonna be a long time. I don’t know how I’m gonna get my bills paid…”

“Why don’t I work for you?” Kent pulled up a chair and sat down. “I can fish. And I can work a cash register if you’ll show me how.”

“Because I can’t afford to pay you.” Willy sighed. “I barely get by runnin’ the store on my own. If I hired you, I’d have to pay your salary…”

“No you wouldn’t.” Kent shrugged. “Call it an internship, an apprenticeship, something like that.”

“Why are you offering to work for free?”

“Mostly ‘cause you need the help,” Kent said, “and partly just because I like fishing.” 

“I don’t believe you.” Willy took the oxygen cannula out of his nose and coughed violently into a tissue.

Kent’s voice cracked. “Willy. I have no idea what to do with myself since I got back from overseas. I’m driving myself crazy, and I know I’m getting on my wife’s nerves.” He pulled his wallet from his pocket and opened it up to show Willy a few bank notes. “Listen, man. I get a pension. It’s not much, but we’re not going hungry. If I don’t work, I’ll be moping around the house all day, with nothing to do but remember how much pain I witnessed and how much pain I caused.” He paused and looked up, as if searching for the right words. “If I work, I get structure in my day and tasks to do. I get to know that I’m being helpful. I get to move past being a soldier and go back to...just being a hard working man.”

“Well…” Willy sighed. “Shop ain’t gonna run itself. So if you can be patient with me, and you’re really okay with not gettin’ paid, I could use you. I don’t want there to be any trouble between us, though. I’ve never had an employee, I’ve always been on my own with this business.”

Clint raised a finger to interrupt. “Willy? Why don’t you write up a contract?”

“Oh, for Yoba’s sake, I don’t know how to do that!”

“It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, just something in writing. Something like, Kent agrees to work for Willy for one season as an apprentice, for free. Kent will work from 9 to 5, Wednesday through Sunday, fishing and working the cash register as needed. Then you both sign it.”

“Good idea,” Kent said. “Then I could have proof that I’ve been working if I look for another job.”

The three men discussed contracts, time frames, and the business of running a fish shop over crab cakes and fries. 

As they talked, an unexpected visitor walked in. It was Gunther, the curator of the museum and library. He carried a leather-bound book in one hand. He made his way up to the bar and gave Gus an unsure smile.

“Mr. Gunther! It’s a pleasure to see you, I’m glad you stopped by! How are you?”

Gunther set the book on the table. “Doing well, sir.”

“Would you like a drink?”

“Yes, please. I’ll have a lavender martini with a splash of sweet vermouth.”

Gus took a step back. “Well...ah...we only have beer, wine, whiskey, and mead.” He breathed a silent sigh of relief as he saw Gunther’s face light up.

“Mead!” Gunther rubbed his hands together. “I haven’t had a good mead in years!”

“You’re in luck!” Gus pulled out a bottle. “This is artisanal, hand-crafted, aged mead, made from Fairy Rose honey.”

“Delightful!” Gunther examined the bottle. “Why haven’t I been coming here for the past few years?”

“I don’t know, you tell me!” Gus chuckled. 

“I’m a creature of habit, Mr. Gus.” Gunther tipped his hat. “Every Saturday night, I leave the museum, take the bus home to Zuzu City, stop at The Pretentious Owl for my lavender martini, and head home.”

“Huh! I didn’t know you lived in Zuzu. What made you come here?” 

“The library and museum job. I love archaeology, I love geology and paleontology, and Stardew Valley really is a hot spot for geological activity and ancient civilizations.” He took a sip of mead. “And mead, apparently, this is delicious!” He continued. “Ms. Penny donated a piece of jewelry that she found in the forest the other day...the engraving is in Elvish. Do you know how rare that is?”

“Honestly, sir? No, I do not.” Gus glanced over Gunther’s shoulder, waving to Willy, Clint, and Kent as they left. “Thank you, gentlemen!”

“There have only been three pieces of Elvish jewelry found in the entire Ferngill Republic. One was found near Castle Village. One was found near the northern border, by the man who was my archaeology professor in college. And the third was the bracelet that Penny found.”

“Wow! They’re all so spread out.”

“Mysteries like this are why I love my job!” His eyes twinkled. “I’d love to get to the bottom of it in my lifetime, find out where the elves lived and why they’re not around anymore. Being able to be around such rare artifacts, and study them at my leisure, makes the commute worth it.”

“Wait, you commute from Zuzu City every day?”

“No. I commute at the start of every week. I sleep on a cot in the office on weeknights. On weekends, I stay with my sister and my brother-in-law.” Seeing the confused look on Gus’s face, he clarified. “I’m saving for a home of my own, in Pelican Town. I like it here. I keep to myself, but I really do enjoy the community. I don’t make much money, though, so it’ll be a long time before I can scrape up enough for a down payment.”

“Can’t you ask for a raise?” Gus waved at the door as Jodi and Caroline walked in. “Good evening, ladies, Emily will be right with you!”

Gunther turned around, tipped his hat at the women as they walked in, and turned back to Gus. “I’ve tried multiple times. At first, the mayor turned me down because there were no artifacts in the collection. Then he turned me down because he was paying for the Winter Market. Last month, he turned me down because tax revenue has been down.”

“The heck it has! I had my best month yet and paid my taxes in full. The farmer’s making money hand over fist, and she mentioned paying her taxes. Same with the fish shop, Pierre’s...I guess we don’t have the tax revenue from JojaMart anymore, but I heard they got a huge tax break to come here in the first place.” Gus reached down and pulled a caramel porter out of the fridge beneath the bar. He popped it open and took a swig. “Screw it, I’m running for Mayor.”

Emily slid behind Gus and whispered in a sing-song voice. “It’s happening!”

Jodi and Caroline each had a glass of white wine. One of Jodi’s feet was resting on the bottom of Caroline’s bar stool. They leaned close to each other. Their hands touched as they counted out the mountain of coins that Emily had left as their change.

Gus answered, unaware. “Heck yeah it is, I’m runnin’ for Mayor!”

“No, look!” Emily whispered. She nudged Gus so he’d look toward the jukebox.

Jodi and Caroline walked arm in arm to the jukebox, whispering and laughing. They were going to dance again.

As the music started and the ladies began to spin each other around the dance floor, Gunther’s face lit up again. “Oh! You have dancing! And...are those two a couple?”

Emily and Gus shared a nervous glance.

Gus spoke plainly. “Caroline is married to Pierre, owner of the general store. Jodi is married to Kent. Vincent and Sam are her sons.”

Gunther smiled and nodded. “I see.” He took a drink of mead. “And I hear what you’re not saying,” he said with a wink.

“I only report what I see.” Gus took another drink of his beer. “I may speculate, but never out loud.” He chuckled. “Emily, though...Emily has a gift,” Gus explained. “She’s observant in ways most of us aren’t. It has taken some time and some warnings to get her to keep those observations to herself.”

“And why is that so important to you?” 

“Well, at the most basic level, it’s a matter of respect. Only Yoba has the Knowing Wisdom; the rest of us rely on what we see. I am a man of Yoba, but even if I wasn’t, I’d like that rule. Secondly, I know things that could cause trouble if the wrong people find out about them. What I don’t know is what goes on behind the closed doors of Pelican Town. If I mention that I think two people are getting romantic to someone who doesn’t approve, I could cause trouble at home...maybe even physical harm. If I tell someone that I think someone is mad at them, I could cause a fight. I have the power to ruin lives, and it is my duty as a good human to never use that power.”

“So, you’re like a priest or a psychologist that way.” Gunther smiled. 

“Yep. Bartender-customer privilege, sir. I will not betray that confidence.”

The night went on. Jodi and Caroline shared a couple more glasses of wine and a few more dances. Marnie, Shane, and Pam showed up, each enjoying a few drinks. Gunther left after his second bottle of mead so he wouldn’t miss the late bus to Zuzu City.


	7. Sunday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evelyn comes in to celebrate some good news. Later, Robin overdoes it in the heat.

Every time the door opened, the Saloon was flooded with sweltering heat. At her age, it took Evelyn a long time to get through that door, long enough that Gus felt the heat all the way in the kitchen. He walked out to the bar, ready to yell at someone for leaving the door open...but stopped when he saw kindly old Evelyn tottering up to him.

“Good afternoon, sir!”

“Granny Evelyn! This is a nice surprise! Have a seat. What can I get for you?”

She sat down at a table, since the bar stools came up nearly to her shoulders. “I’ll have a whiskey on the rocks, with just a splash of water.”

Gus raised his eyebrows. “You don’t look like a whiskey drinker!”

“I take the whiskey by surprise.” She giggled. “Lull it into a false sense of security!”

Gus went back to the bar, poured her drink, and set it down on a napkin in front of her. “So, what’s the occasion, Granny?”

“I’m celebrating! Sit down, dear.”

Gus pulled out a chair and sat. It’s not something he’d normally do, but when the town’s kindly old grandmother tells one to sit, they sit. 

Evelyn continued. “Alex is going to community college!”

“Congratulations! Good for him! What’s he studying?”

“He’s going to be an athletic trainer!” She took a sip of her whiskey. “He’ll help gridball players when they get hurt.”

“He decided against going pro?”

“Oh, dear...he tried his best. He didn’t make the team two years ago, didn’t make the team last year, and missed this year’s combine because he sprained an ankle. He still wants to be part of the game, so he figured he should become an athletic trainer. He likes making people feel better, he understands the game, so I think he’ll do well.”

“Good for him! I’m glad he’s figuring this out!”

“He was so nervous about it. He has trouble reading, you know. So he asked Penny for help. She told Sam about it, who told Sebastian...it turns out that Sebastian has made a computer program that reads to you!”

“Really!”

“Yes. It’s for people who have trouble reading...and for people who have trouble seeing, so I might finally be able to get on the email! Alex bought the program from Sebastian, and he can use that to study.”

“That is great news. Is he excited?”

“He’s so excited! He seemed kind of lost until he realized that he could get a gridball job that doesn’t involve playing, and he’s so glad he found something he can do.”

“That’s awesome. He’s a good kid, I hope he does well.” 

“I think he will.” Evelyn took another drink. “He’s grown so much, even in the last three years. Even George has noticed!”

“Speaking of George, how’s he doing? I saw him at Pierre’s the other day. He took the last of the hot peppers and told me to buzz off!” Gus laughed.

“Oh...that...darned old coot!” Evelyn shook her head. “He needed ‘em for his arthritis, but he’s gotta be nicer than that!”

“He’s not that mean to you, is he?”

“No! No, dear, not at all.” She sighed. “He’s a sweetheart to me. I just wish everyone else could see how kind and loving and soft he really is.”

“Soft?!” Gus laughed again. “George? We’re talkin’ George Mullner, right?”

“Oh, you don’t know him like I do! You know that dog pen where old Dusty stays? George had Alex build that. He’s the one who gave that dog his name. Dusty’s a feral dog, you know. He hops that fence and goes out wandering all the time. The fence is to protect him from anyone who might bother him.”

“Really!”

“He’s also the one who insists on keeping the bird feeder full, especially in the winter.” Evelyn smiled. “He noticed birds eating the popcorn garlands on the Winter Star tree, and had me set up a feeder.”

“Why’s he so cranky with humans?”

Evelyn leaned back in her chair. It looked like she stared over Gus’s shoulder, thousands of miles into the distance. “He’s had a hard life.” She took a large gulp of whiskey. “His pappy beat him. He started working in the mines when he was just a boy. He didn’t finish school. He’s a veteran of the First Gotoro War. People had been mean to him his whole life, until he met me. He was a gentleman...he had that beaten into him from day one. So I liked him, and I married him. My family was kind to him, and we had Clara, and it seemed like things were going well.”

Gus leaned forward. “And?”

“After Clara was born, I never could have another child. I was barren. Yoba gave me the most perfect little angel...and no other children.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. Our little family was wonderful!” She smiled wistfully. “When Clara was a teenager, George had his accident and ended up in that darned wheelchair. That frustrated him. Then Clara met Jason, and George hated that guy. Clara married him anyway, and they had Alex. When Clara passed away, it’s like George put up a wall around himself! He was so bitter and so scared and so angry. And he just keeps that wall up now, unless he’s really close to someone.”

Gus gave Evelyn a sideways look. “You know, from the time you two met, you two went through the same things. You could only have one child, George had his accident and you became his caregiver, and Clara passed away. How come you’re so warm and loving and friendly, despite all that?”

“The grace of Yoba.” She smiled serenely and took another drink of whiskey. “Were you in town when Pierre’s shop was still a church?”

“It was? I guess that would explain the altar,” Gus said. 

Evelyn continued. “My grandpappy was the preacher there. He taught me that Yoba works through people, and that there’s something to appreciate in every day. So I do my best to do Yoba’s work, to spread love and joy wherever I go, and to find something to appreciate every day.”

“That’s a wonderful outlook to have, Granny.”

“Thank you. It also helps to understand that it doesn’t come easily. I have been very fortunate in life. My parents loved me and doted on me. I went to school, which not a lot of girls did back in my day. I never went hungry, never got beaten, was never seriously ill. I was blessed with beauty, wealth, and good people around to love me and teach me.” She took the last sip of her whiskey. “I know those things had an effect. Of course I had hardships, growing up isn’t easy for anyone, but I didn’t have George’s hardships. I made it a point to listen to his stories and really try to put myself in his shoes, even if what he was describing was completely foreign to me. I was raised right, so I learned how to act right. George got shipped off to the mines when he was little Vincent’s age, and his parents were downright mean. So he had no good example to learn from.” 

“Wow.” It was Gus’s turn to stare thousands of miles into the distance. “He makes quite a bit more sense now, Granny.”

“I’m glad. He loves and hurts just as fiercely as the rest of us...and he shows it in his own way, for better or worse. Thanks for indulging an old lady and letting me talk.”

“No problem, dear! You’re an interesting lady.”

Evelyn handed him a couple bills. “Here’s for the whiskey, and a tip for you.”

“Thank you, ma’am. Stay cool out there!” He stood, took Evelyn’s arm, and helped her down the stairs. “Tell Alex congrats from me!”

As Evelyn tottered off, Gus rushed back inside. He ran back to the kitchen to continue the prep work, which he’d fallen behind on after talking to Evelyn. 

Sundays were usually slow, and this Sunday was no exception. There were no guests for hours after Evelyn came in. Emily came in for her shift and put the music on, but there was no more prep work to do, so her and Gus begrudgingly deep-cleaned the dining room.

The sun was still beating down at 5:00 in the evening when Robin walked in. She was sweating heavily. Her shirt was soaked in a few places. Her hair was limp. She walked to the chair closest to the door, plopped down, and rested her head on the table.

Emily filled a glass of ice water and walked over. “Ms. Robin, are you okay?”

“I’m too hot.” Her voice was weak.

Emily put the water down on the table. “Here you go, ma’am.”

Robin, head still on the table, swiped around for the glass. She touched it, then grabbed it, and poured it on her head. “Thanks.”

Gus covered his mouth, choking back a laugh. “Hey Emily, come to the bar, please!”

Emily walked back, also nervously hiding a chuckle. Gus reached in the fridge and pulled out a carton of coconut water. He grabbed a dry towel and ran cold water on it, then handed Emily both items. “I have coconut water to drink and a cold towel for Robin to cool off. I’m turning the ceiling fans up now, and the AC is on.”

Emily walked back to Robin’s table and sat down. “Ms. Robin? Gus is turning up the fans right now. The AC is on. Here’s a cold towel to help you cool off, and some coconut water to drink.”

Robin grabbed the towel and used it to wipe the sweat off her face. She leaned back against the back of the chair, staring at the ceiling fans. After about a minute, she opened up the coconut water and took a big drink.

“Oh, Yoba! This is disgusting!” She grimaced. “Can I just have regular water?” She took another drink. “Gross!”

“Coconut water replaces the electrolytes you’ve lost through sweating,” Emily explained. “It’s like an all-natural sports drink!”

Robin chugged from the carton, then set it down with another grimace. “Can I have an artificial one, then? This is disgusting!”

Gus called out from behind the bar. “I’ll get you plain water when you’re done with that, hon!”

“Ugh!” Robin took another big swig of the coconut water. She rested her head on the table again.

“Were you out working?” Emily asked.

“Yeah. I was at the farm, building a shed.” She flopped the towel over on the back of her neck. “I got hot and it was about dinner time, so I figured I’d walk over here and get some spaghetti. I think...I just got too hot.” She sat up and choked down the last of the coconut water. “You know, if someone were to pickle water, it would probably taste like this garbage.”

Emily laughed. “I like it!”

Again, Gus yelled from behind the bar. “You also like kombucha! I think your taste buds are broken!” He filled a glass with ice water and took it to Robin’s table.

“Thank you, sir. Sorry about the floor.” Robin guzzled the glass of water.

“Oh, yeah. Probably better mop that.” Gus shrugged. “I’ve had many messes that were much worse than that, water’s pretty much a non-issue.” He patted Robin on the back. “Don’t worry about it. Stay until you feel completely better, then order some dinner and stay a little longer so you’re walking home once the sun goes down a bit.”

“I have to finish that shed, though.”

“Well, yeah, eventually,” Gus said. “But it’s not like you’re gonna get fired for calling in sick.”

“Good point...I’m just so disappointed that I’m losing half a day of work. I’m usually so much better than this!” She shook her head.

“Yeah, but it’s not usually this hot.” Gus glanced up to see Emily wheeling the mop bucket over to the table. “Thanks, Emily.”

“No problem. It’s just water.”

Robin sighed. “I guess I’ll call the farmer and let her know that it’ll be another day on the shed…”

Pam and Shane came in, each asking for their usual. Leah spent a couple hours drinking wine and planning her art project. Marnie stopped by for a glass of wine, and Clint sat with her since Willy was still sick at home. 

Robin ended up staying at the Saloon until late that night, drinking water and cooling off. She finally got that spaghetti that she wanted, too.


End file.
